Dark Web Facts: Myths and Stats to Know in 2025

While most people use the surface web (also referred to as clearnet), there is a far bigger world beneath, invisible to standard search engines, known as the dark web. It is a mysterious, cryptic, and often misunderstood part of the internet.

So, what’s real and what’s myth? Some dark web facts are true, while other deep and dark web beliefs are scary and untrue. Knowing the facts about the dark web is critical for protecting your financial and personal data in this age from illegal activities (whether you’re an individual or a business), like financial fraud and identity theft.

Understanding the hidden part of the internet helps in cybersecurity as it highlights threats like phishing attacks, malware, and major data breaches, and enables the monitoring of stolen data to prevent damage. And what’s better than facts and stats for understanding something, right? Read on to discover what’s real and what’s not in this in-depth guide.

Top 10 dark web facts for 2025

The dark web is vast, and it is difficult to measure its statistics. Experts estimate that the dark web contains millions of URLs and thousands of active onion websites, including anonymous forums and underground marketplaces.

Here are some of the common dark web facts today:

1. The dark web was initially lightweight. It was originally designed to make US operatives’ communications secure and their identities anonymous under authoritarian regimes. Eventually, the public was allowed access.
2. Drugs rule the dark web. Illegal drugs are the most commonly sold items on the dark web, accounting for over half the transactions. The darknet sells about half of all drugs, with pharmaceuticals and cannabis accounting for most of the sales, and LSD and MDMA for about 20%.
3. Criminal enterprises on the dark web. Before its takedown in April 2022, the Russian cybercrime marketplace Hydra controlled 80% of all cryptocurrency transactions related to the darknet markets, amassing over $5.2 billion in value. However, new markets such as Kraken and Mega have emerged to replace those that shut down.
4. A dark web vaccine market emerged during COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a black market for fake vaccine certificates was launched on the dark web, which is active even today. 
5. ChatGPT clones on the dark web. AI-driven chatbots have started emerging on the dark web. For example WormGPT AI tool was designed specifically for malicious purposes, such as phishing and Business Email Compromise (BEC).
6. Fentanyl is a popular darknet product. In 2021, authorities busted a dealer selling thousands of fake oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl and other dangerous substances on the dark web. The authorities gave it the Operation SpecTor name and seized 850 kilograms of drugs, alongside more than $53 million in cash and cryptocurrency.
7. Seller rep is crucial. Like any other platform on the internet, ratings and reviews matter on the hidden internet, too. Most dark web marketplaces have rating systems that allow buyers and sellers to submit reviews. The 2022 HP Wolf Security report found that 92% of cybercriminal marketplaces offer dispute resolution services, and 77% require vendors to have a license.
8. Criminal services on the dark web range from high-end to low-end. Roughly 90% of advertised exploits on dark web marketplaces are priced at $10, with an average cost being around $2 (as per the HP Wolf Security findings, again). However, zero-day exploits can sell for more than $10,000 on these markets.
9. Transactions rely heavily on cryptocurrency. 98% of the dark web transactions involve cryptocurrency because it’s difficult to trace. Among all cryptocurrencies, the 2020 IOCTA report of Europol suggests, Monero is the most used cryptocurrency on the dark net.
10. Cybercrime is a product. Bad people like to create more bad people. That’s right. Experienced cybercriminals often find it safer to teach hacking than to do it themselves. That’s why the dark web is full of tutorials, guides, and specialized courses.

Dark web myths

The dark web has a reputation for mysterious and somewhat illicit activities, but it’s not always as dangerous as it seems. While you can buy drugs or hire a hitman, it’s almost always a scam.

Myth 1: Accessing the dark web is illegal

Fact: Accessing or viewing content on the dark web is legal in most countries worldwide. However, downloading illicit content or purchasing illegal goods and services is illegal.

Myth 2: Only criminals use the dark web

Fact: Journalists, activists, whistleblowers, and everyday users seeking privacy also rely on the dark web for secure communications and uncensored access to information. Also, many reputable organizations, like the BBC and the New York Times, have websites on the dark web.

Myth 3: The dark web is unregulated

Fact: Many dark web marketplaces exercise internal controls by enforcing strict rules. For example, most marketplaces require vendors to have a license.

Myth 4: Activities on the dark web are untraceable

Fact: Although the dark web provides more anonymity than the surface web, advanced tracing techniques can still trace you. Several dark web users have been identified and arrested, especially those involved in illegal activities.

Common deep web and dark web users

The deep web is a part of the internet that search engines don’t index, and almost everyone uses the deep web daily, such as when logging into accounts or checking email.

On the other hand, the dark web is a part of the deep web that is deliberately hidden and accessible only through special software, such as Tor. Both cybercriminals and ordinary people use it to communicate or exchange goods privately.

Daily Tor users

Tor averages 2 million users per day worldwide, though it’s an estimate and figures can fluctuate; as per Statista 2024 data, they are just above 1.9 million direct. The following table shows countries’ contribution to daily tor users in percentage in 2025:

According to one study, these are the most common languages in Onion domains:

Deep web statistics

• The deep web holds over 7.5 petabytes of data, unlike the surface web, which hosts only 19 terabytes (which is a fraction of the internet).
• Approximately 95% of the internet is the deep web, as the fact discussed just above hint already.
• Over 90% of web content exists in the deep web.
• Virtually everyone uses the deep web daily when accessing services like Gmail, cloud storage, online banking, or subscription platforms.
• The deep web hosts the majority of academic journals, research databases, and government portals.
• Content in the deep and dark web often requires users to create accounts and log in, a direct onion link, or special permissions to access.
• Login credentials protect content on the deep web, so it is generally less vulnerable to hackers.
• Most deep websites have .onion and i2p extensions.

Common dark web users

The dark web is estimated to make up only a small proportion of the entire internet. The market is so deep that even search engines that are powerful can’t locate it.

While not everything in the dark web is malicious, it can be unsafe due to a lack of oversight. That’s why we recommend using a reliable VPN to protect your connections when accessing the dark web.

Using a VPN to access the dark web safely if you must

Here is how to access the dark web safely:

What’s for sale on the dark web?

The dark web has everything you can buy legally, including apparel, rare collectibles, and video games. On the other side, the majority of illicit non-drug trade also takes place on the dark web, with fraud making up approximately 70% of the total.

Here are some of the things dark web users trade:

1. Malware and hacking services

• Ransomware, Trojans, and spyware
• DDoS-for-hire services
• Custom malware or exploits
• Database breaches and hacking tutorials
• Remote access to compromised devices or networks

2. Drugs

• Marijuana, heroin, cocaine, meth, LSD
• Illicit prescription drugs like Xanax

3. Fraud-related materials

• Stolen credit card numbers and dumps
• Counterfeit money
• Fake IDs and passports
• Bank account logins
• Phishing kits and scam templates

Besides the above, private data is also a major commodity on the dark web, often auctioned off to the highest bidder after a breach.

The dark web economy

Scary facts about the dark web highlight that its economy has grown tremendously over the years. The majority of marketplace sales now take place through escrow. The marketplace holds buyer funds in a cryptocurrency wallet and releases them only once the buyer confirms receipt of the item.

Additionally, most darknet marketplaces are adopting reputation systems, and vendor licensing is increasingly mandatory. In fact, today’s top darknet marketplaces closely mirror mainstream e-commerce sites in both design and functionality.

Crime on the dark web

One of the earliest marketplaces on the dark web, dating back even before Silk Road, was Farmer’s Market. While it lacked the advanced features of later platforms, it was instrumental in shaping the early stages of online black markets. As per the reports, the market accepted payments using traditional methods such as PayPal and Western Union at that time.

A few dark web marketplaces, like Vice City, have lasted despite being short-lived. Others, such as ASAP Market, emerge to fill the void left by markets that shut down.

According to UNODC, drug trafficking remains the most widespread crime on the dark web, with cannabis being the most common, followed by pharmaceuticals. Some darknet marketplaces, such as the recently revived AlphaBay, offer a wide range of categories – much like Amazon – and represent a major share of dark web activity.

History of the dark web

The dark web traces its origins to the 1990s when the US Naval Research Laboratory created a covert internet communication channel called Onion Routing that encrypted and routed traffic through multiple servers, making it difficult to trace.

Their research led to the creation of The Onion Router (Tor) in 2002, an anonymous web browser that enables access to the dark web. This system was originally designed to safeguard government and military communications. However, in 2004, Tor became open-source and publicly available.

Around the same time, Ian Clarke and a team of internet volunteers created Freenet, the first decentralized peer-to-peer network. Now known as Hyphanet, it has evolved into a close network for private file-sharing, messaging, and website hosting.

Tor, Hyphanet, and alternatives like the Invisible Internet Project (I2P) form the core infrastructure of today’s decentralized peer-to-peer services that define the dark web.

The dark web saw a major shift in 2011 with the launch of Silk Road, the pioneering darknet marketplace. All transactions were conducted with cryptocurrency, mostly Bitcoin at that time, which aided in protecting the market’s users’ identities. Although the authorities shut it down in 2013, it was the foundation of future darknet markets.

Although the dark web serves some legitimate purposes, its use surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, which ultimately fueled cybercrime and raised serious security concerns.

Projections and future trends

Here are the key projections and future trends shaping the dark web, and their real-world implications:

• Like all other professionals, the illicit workers, cybercriminals, are now increasingly using AI to automate tasks, including vulnerability scanning, real-time malware adaptation, and deepfake-based phishing campaigns.
• Criminals are renting out generative AI services like WormGPT that enable unskilled users to execute sophisticated attacks.
• With the ongoing crackdowns on major darknet marketplaces, many are likely to shift towards invite-only forums and decentralized P2P platforms. 
• Dark web actors are increasingly targeting contractor systems and getting deeper into supply chains.
• Quantum-powered attacks may soon emerge, threatening to break existing encryption, driving the need for quantum-resistant security solutions.

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